A commenter from
another blog recently brought up a point about Miami’s climate, and how it may affect transit and mobility, as well as why it is rarely mentioned on Transit Miami. Because it’s true we speak little of local climate-related issues and many people use Miami’s climate as an excuse to drive everywhere, I thought now would be a good time to formally address the concern.
The reason weather is rarely discussed on this site is because we think for the most part it is a non-issue. By and large, Miami’s climate doesn’t pose any more problems than in any other city. Sure, we get a lot of rain during the wet season, but our frequency of rain is actually less than that of many other cities. What I’m saying is, it may rain hard in parts of Miami for short periods, but rarely will the same location get poured on day-after-day-after-day. On the other hand, it can be rainy, wet, foggy, and cold all day long in London, Copenhagen, or even Boston and New York. It’s not unusual for this to happen across the entire city, for several straight days anytime during the year. This doesn’t stop nearly 40% of Copenhagen residents from biking to work each day. Nor do several month long bouts of frigid weather stop people from using transit from Montreal to Moscow. Miami is fortunate enough to have six months of practically rain-free weather with temps between 75 and 82 degrees – most cities that are already transit-oriented could only dream of having such a climate.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most people commute early in the morning when temperatures are nearly at their coolest, which is certainly bearable even during Miami’s hot wet season. Thus, riding a bike at a leisurely pace with mild morning temperatures, you probably won’t even break a sweat. However, businesses and/or buildings should be equipped with shower facilities in case you were to break a sweat. Toronto, for example, has a program in place which is aimed at being bicycle-friendly, whereas all new buildings of a certain square footage must be equipped with shower facilities. Moreover, with improved transit and new lines, people can bike short distances to transit, then ride in AC downtown or wherever you are employed.
In poorly designed places, heat does have the potential to be oppressive. This is why it’s so important to adhere to quality urban design principles, with buildings having short setbacks coupled with awnings or sidewalk shade trees (this usually means higher density – one more reason why it’s not an evil thing). Mayor Diaz is trying to attack this issue with a Tree Master Plan, with goals to improve the City’s tree canopy by 30% by 2020. Developers need to do their part, too, by making their street frontages more protected from sun.
This is one more reason why low-density sprawl is so bad, especially in South Florida’s climate. Think about it: If you’re walking along a typical suburban, car-oriented street where everyone has a driveway and one-story flat homes are set way back, you’re probably baking in the sun. However, walking along Miracle Mile or Main Highway is much more pleasant because trees and/or urban design elements are providing shade.
And lastly, rain is definitely a non-issue for pedestrians - all you need is an umbrella!
Photo courtesy of slowernet’s flickr photostream
A commenter from another blog recently brought up a point about Miami’s climate, and how it may affect transit and mobility, as well as why it is rarely mentioned on Transit Miami. Because it’s true we speak little of local climate-related issues and many people use Miami’s climate as an excuse to drive everywhere, I thought now would be a good time to formally address the concern.
100% agree with you. Just ironic that last night the first night I have my new bike and was going to run some errands that evening, a ridiculous thunderstorm rolls in.
Amazing article!
People move to Miami from all over the world and our climate is a big reason why! Our weather is phenomenal. I hate to even think about the days when I was living up north and stepping outside into two feet of snow was the norm!
Businesses do not promote cycling and I feel that’s a main reason cycling is not a more popular means of transportation. Not only do I think our local business don’t promote it, but sometimes I get the feeling the look down on cycling as a way to get back and forth to work.
One cannot minimize the role American popular culture plays when it comes to cycling.
For sometime now, Americans are fed this notion that there is a natural progression of mobility as you grow older. As toddlers, we first learn how to walk, and this is an exciting and more efficient mode of mobility than crawling.
As children we learn how to ride bikes, and this becomes an exciting method of mobility that allows us to get places further and faster if necessary.
Then we turn 16 or 17 and we are young adults now, and we are “supposed” to graduate to adult mobility sources - i.e. the automobile. Getting your driver’s license has practically become a right-of-passage into young adulthood in American popular culture. Advertisers tout it as “the ultimate symbol of freedom” - and young adults buy into the notion that driving should allow them to go anywhere at anytime quickly and efficiently, with no such concept of externalities.
Cycling then becomes stigmatized as only a legitimate form of transportation for kids 15 and under. As an adult, you now ride bikes for recreation, and not as a means of transportation. The is evident by the recreation-first philosophy guiding most of Miami-Dade’s recent bicycling projects(M-Path, Biscayne-Everglades Greenway, etc).
It’s very unfortunate, very misleading, and completely the wrong message.
Nonetheless, you can’t dispute the fact that this notion, ridiculous as it may be, has permeated American popular culture indefinitely, and remains a major obstacle for improved cycling infrastructure in many urban areas today.
Fortunately, though, cycling is finally building momentum for improved conditions, as evidenced by a number of city’s recent pro-bicycle policies. We need to continue to spread the word, however, that cycling represents a healthy, emission-free, sustainable, and efficient mode of transportation that serves its purpose to bridge the gap between walking and transit.
I walk to work or take the trolley (love living in the Gables!) I used to ride my bike, but it was stolen and I haven’t replaced it yet.
The biggest problem with riding a bicycle in Miami IS finding a secure place to lock it up.
Sure, you can stow a folding bike behind your sofa at home or under your desk at work, provided you can spend over $500 for a folding bike. But that doesn’t help you when you’re stopping into a restaurant for a quick lunch, or shopping at the pharmacy, or going to the post office.
I will eventually get another bike: I need the exercise, and for most of my errands it makes more sense than using a car.
hey, did you ride your bike to work today? I’m gonna say no. You probably drove to work. And that’s what everyone does. It’s normal. Trust me, I’d be first in line to club baby seals to have a car to drive to work if I could, but I can’t. Please note that I don’t think you guys are being hypocritical, I read this blog every day and I think it’s great. But here’s the deal: some people have to ride their bikes to work every day. And it sucks. Especially if you know that you are going to get rained on every day on your way home. My commute is pretty easy: from the beach, over the Venetian to downtown. And not only that, but I can use the gym in the building where I work to shower and my boss lets me keep my bike in my office. But it still sucks. I can’t imagine what it’s like for someone living further away that doesn’t have those opportunities. You can reference any city you want. But this is Miami and riding to work in the summer sucks.
You know, I think that you guys really have the right idea. I just think that you have to remember that the people that really need better public transportation aren’t reading this blog.
Also: PS14 Wednesday night, it’s a Wingding! ride your bike there and get a free drink! Whooo!
It’s not about getting everybody to work, but it’s all about providing different alternatives, so people are not forced to drive, but also have the option of transit, riding bike safely to work, etc.
Not everyone or every commute can be done in Miami, but there are certainly lots of people who could and don’t bike to work/run errands…
KOF: First of all, I didn’t drive to work - I walked. Please don’t imply that I am a hypocrite.
Secondly, I’m sorry you hate your bike ride. Maybe you would like it better if there was better cycling infrastructure that didn’t make you feel like a second class citizen. That should be one of the best bike rides in Miami, but the proper cycling infrastructure isn’t there yet, unfortunately.
As for the rain, I still don’t have a whole lot of sympathy. It’s been a little wet recently, but I know for a fact it doesn’t rain on that spot every evening. Moreover, there are buses that go back and forth, so if it were to rain you could always take the bus.
But I guess none of this really matters anyway, because you’d be “first in line to club baby seals to have a car to drive to work”.
Good luck finding those seals.
Bike riding to/from work in the summer time is certainly not fun. It’s somthing I am currently doing twice a day for the next 3 months (well riding to the metrorail station and then taking that the rest of the way). But it would be much more plesant if we had more trees along the way. Not only do trees provide more shading in the summer but they are nature’s solar panels. They store bio-energy and turn CO2 back into Oxygen. Not bad for not even having to pay to counter global warming.
I don’t know what to say - I’ve never had any climate-related problems riding my bike during the summer. It’s comfortable in the morning, and in the evening I bring a change of clothes and the ride home or to the Metrorail is nice. When it’s a nice afternoon, I actually look forward to the ride home. If it rains or looks like it is about to rain, I either take the bus, or wait a few minutes for it to pass.
With that said, my trips could be significantly improved with the addition of new and improved bicycle infrastructure. That is a critical step to improving cycling conditions in Miami, because no one is denying that they are currently terrible.
I’m just saying don’t blame the climate.
man, I have to stop posting when I’m drunk. When I said that I didn’t think you were being hypocritical? That means I don’t think you are a hypocrite. I’ll be the first to tell you that there have been times my ride in the morning has been so beautiful that I thought my head would explode.
It is just my opinion that sometimes you guys take a theoretical view of commuting that doesn’t necessarily work with the practical aspects of not owning a car. There is a big difference in WANTING to use alternative methods of transportation and HAVING to use them. Just riding my bike to work has never made me feel like a second class citizen. Riding in the rain has.